Improve Your Initial Offers by Making These Changes when Selling Your Home

The home selling process includes several steps, from preparing your home through staging and cleaning to marketing the listing and sorting through offers, among other tasks. To ensure your effort is well spent, follow these tips to improve the initial offers you receive on North Raleigh homes. But first, here’s what you need to know as a seller entering the North Raleigh real estate market.

North Raleigh is located right above Midtown and is well-loved for its neighborhoods surrounded by natural beauty, as well as its proximity to Downtown Raleigh’s amenities. Buyers interested in settling down to raise a family or looking for somewhere quiet to retire love this part of Raleigh. Currently, Raleigh is a seller’s market. Although the number of home sales and the median days on the market are up, median list prices are increasing, which indicates buyer demand. With this in mind, here’s how to secure better offers.

The first step to take as a seller listing a home is to research the local market. As a seller, try to list in a seller’s market. This is when the inventory available doesn’t meet buyer demand, resulting in higher home prices. Favorable trends give you more power to negotiate different aspects of an offer, like its price, contingencies, repairs, and closing costs. Paying attention to market trends can also help you plan out how long the selling process may take, which you can use to plan a move.

As stated before, Raleigh is currently a seller’s market, which is good news for those listing their North Raleigh condos. There’s an increasing demand for homes in the area, visible in the rate and price of what properties are selling for. Population growth in the area and the projected appreciation in home values also impact demand. Although the inventory in Raleigh isn’t too low, home sales still trend above the asking price, which is good news for sellers.

Another important step to take if you’re interested in better initial offers is to work with an experienced real estate agent who’s local to the area. Search for an agent who specializes in listings, as they’ll have the knowledge and tools to help you list and market your home effectively. Although you could try selling your home yourself to save on seller agent commissions, you may still lose out, as properties FSBO generally end up selling for less.

An agent can also help you prime your home to receive the best offers by suggesting repairs, popular upgrades in the area, home staging ideas, and more. They’ll have a network of connections to professionals you’ll likely need, such as a home inspector, home contractor, or home stager. When offers start coming in, their negotiation skills are an asset in conversations and deals with buyers’ agents.

Although it seems obvious, pricing North Raleigh homes correctly has a large impact on the types of initial offers you receive. By overpricing your home, you can scare off buyers, generate lowball offers, or cause your home to linger on the market. When a listing stays on the market too long, you may have to drop the price, which doesn’t look good to buyers in the area. By pricing too high, you also run the risk of limited visibility, as buyers using price filtering tools might not be able to see your listing.

Pricing too low can also be a problem. Although you’re likely to sell quickly, you’re also going to miss out on extra profit. An agent is a valuable tool in helping you price your home, as they’ll know how to consider the local market, surrounding properties, and your own home’s features to correctly price your property. Currently, the median list price for properties in Raleigh is $455,000, but that’s subject to change based on its location, condition, and size.

To increase the value of your property, consider making repairs and upgrades to generate better offers. A pre-listing inspection may be worth the time and cost, as it can reveal potential problems with your property that may affect its sale. In areas like North Raleigh where buyers can be selective, it may be in your best interest to fix larger and smaller issues like faulty electrical or plumbing, or leaky sinks and broken bulbs.

When you’ve finished with repairs, also consider small upgrades that may attract buyer interest. When selecting projects, it’s important to research their return on investment, as well as what buyers in the area are looking for. Outdoor spaces have become increasingly popular, especially in areas like North Raleigh that are surrounded by oak trees, mountain views, and temperate weather. Other renovations that are popular include kitchen and bathroom upgrades.

After preparing properties to list, take the time to market the property effectively. Clean, declutter, and stage your home prior to taking professional photos, as many buyers start their home search online. Making a good first impression is integral to generating buyer interest and great initial offers. Alongside professional photos, include a listing description including your property’s particulars and the amenities surrounding its location.

For those selling North Raleigh condos, consider adding nearby perks like its proximity to the indoor mall Crabtree Mall, outdoor recreation spots like the North Ridge Country Club, and great schooling options for families. An agent can help you list your home online, as well as advertise it through other online and physical means. Letting as many qualified buyers as possible know about your listing is important to generating more and higher offers.

For those selling properties in North Raleigh, there are a few steps to take for better offers from interested buyers. When you’re ready to use these tips, or if you need help selling your home, contact experienced local agent Courtney Whalen to guide you through the process.